Vocabulary
Han – a period of time in China in which the country was merge together (Dictionary)
Manchurian – a resident of the NE region of China or Manchuria (Dictionary)
Yin and Yang – is a symbol used in relation to a Chinese philosophy to represent balance between good and evil or dark and light (Dictionary)
Wu Xia or Wuxia – a type of Chinese story utilizing martial arts of ancient China which showcases heroism (Dictionary)
Chivalry – characteristics of a knight or courageous warrior which include “courtesy, generosity, valor and dexterity” (Dictionary)
Fantasy – a series of made up images of the mind which create a world not bound by the rules of reality (Dictionary)
Peking – a Chinese name once used for Beijing (Dictionary)
Taoism –
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The end of the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is a tragedy as Jen leaps off the mountain and leaves Lo trying to understand her decision (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). She is also overwhelmed by the death of Li Mu Bai, who demonstrated chivalry in the film. She has also upset her fantasy is gone and that she is no longer the person she was in the Gobi desert where she was with Lo (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). She tells him to make a wish and this connects the story of the young man leaping from the mountain to save his parents (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). Jen feels by leaping, she is granting Lo’s wish (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). This makes Jen the tragic hero as she is finally free from the imprisonment of her duties as a governor’s daughter as well as her past with the Jade Fox (Crouching Tiger, Hidden …show more content…
This differs from the characteristics of a hero in Chinese culture as many times hero’s are considered average in physical appearance and possess qualities of “morally, culturally or intellectually” (Chinese Heroism). These qualities are also used for helping the good of the family or China (Chinese Heroism). One category is a religious leader such as Confucius (Chinese Heroism). Even though some cultures do not consider a philosopher a hero in China their wisdom and teachings of being at peace has inspired many generations (Chinese Heroism). Another is a military strategist such as a warrior who uses strategies to conquer their enemy (Chinese Heroism). Furthermore a martyr and anti-heroes are also another hero in Chinese culture (Chinese Heroism). As a martyr will sacrifice themselves or an anti-hero as they did not follow the conventional route of western hero (Chinese
The film that we screened in class was titled the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and was directed by Ang Lee. The beginning of the film, Bai returns from meditating and decides to give up his sword. Once the sword is transported to Sir Te's, it is stolen by a masked character in all black, who is revealed as Jen later on in the film. Mu Bai, Shu Lien and Tsai go out searching for the sword and encounter Jade Fox, which is then followed by a battle; however, the masked character helps Fox escape. During that night Lo, a former lover of Jen, comes back to return her comb and then there is a flashback on how they met. After their encounter, Lo leaves Jen; however, comes back and tries to thwart Jen from getting married. In the end, Fox dies
Yin and Yang – is a symbol used in relation to a Chinese philosophy to represent balance between good and evil or dark and light (Dictionary)
A hero is defined as "someone admired for his bravery, great deeds or noble qualities". There are three categories to which all heroes can be classified into, one of which is the anti-hero genre.
Who is a hero? In contemporary times, usage of the term has become somewhat of a cliché. Over the years, the term “hero” has become representative of a wide variety of individuals, each possessing differing traits. Some of the answers put forth by my colleagues (during our in-class discussion on heroism) as to whom they consider heroes pointed to celebrities, athletes, teachers and family members. Although the occupations differed, each of their heroes bore qualities that my classmates perceived as extraordinary, whether morally or physically. Nonetheless, Webster’s defines “hero” as “a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.” Thus, it is worth considering that individuals become heroes relative to the situation with which they’re faced.
The Yin and Yang philosophy represents the two sides and balance in every relationship. The Yin and Yang theory is representation of a perfect and balanced relationship. “Yin-yang is an ancient Chinese
What is a hero? Merriam Webster defines a hero as being a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities. What are those noble qualities? They are bravery, selflessness, and strength. Two heroes, Beowulf and Sir Gawain, exemplify these traits while the "hero" Arcita fails to do so.
According to google.com a hero is someone who “is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievments, or noble equalities.” (google.com). For example, superman , superman is an all time american classic modern hero who is admired for his courage and for saving earth multiple times from super villains. Another example of a hero is Beowulf. Beowulf was created around 1000 AD and was known far and wide throughout the lands for his selflessness,bravery, and courage .
The philosophical idea of yin and yang is found throughout Chinese culture, literature, and social structure. The idea is that the world is made up two opposite types of energy which must be kept in balance with one another. Neither is greater than the other, or more important than the other. In respect to gender, yin is female and yang is male. Yin is private life within the family and yang is public life outside the family. Men were to focus on public life and outside affairs and support the family while women were to focus on private life and support the men.
What is a hero? A hero can be classified as a number of things. A hero can be a person who in the opinions of others has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal. Ervin Staub, a holocaust survivor from Hungary and as scholar on altruistic behavior, has written, "Goodness like evil often begins in small steps. Heroes evolve; they aren't born. Very often the rescuers make only a small commitment at the start, to hide someone for a day or two. But once they had taken that step, they begin to see themselves differently, as someone who helps. What starts as mere willingness becomes intense involvement." The business man, Oskar Schindler, demonstrated a powerful example
The definition and guidelines for using the term “hero” to describe a person can be as diverse as the land we live in, however, regardless of your cultural identity the shield of “hero” must be earned. It is defined as “a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities, is regarded as a model or ideal (Dictionary.com, 2014). In Classical Mythology, a hero is “a being of godlike prowess, a warrior of special strength, courage or ability” (Dictionary.com, 2014). This describes how we have portrayed our present day heroes, the pedestal that we put them on, after actions reflecting heroism, have been awarded the title. Difficult to earn, harder to retain, but forever remembered.
Throughout history, there have always been heroes. Those strong-willed, brave individuals who perform courageous acts for fame and glory are prevalent in most cultures.. Societies have these heroes as standards of their cultures’ moral codes. Every society has their own definition of these codes are, so a unifying definition of hero can be hard to achieve. However, Philip Zimbardo says “Simply put, then, the key to heroism is a concern for other people in need—a concern to defend a moral cause, knowing there is a personal risk, done without expectation of reward.” With this basic definition, I will be examining various epic heroes I’ve studied throughout the course of my senior year for characteristics. From the copious amounts of studying, I’ve deduced that Achilles, Odysseus, Aeneas, Socrates, Gilgamesh, Beowulf, and Arthur all have characteristics that make them heroic.
The code of Chivalry can be described as a brave, loyal, courteous, distinguished courage or ability that is admired for their brave and noble qualities. Chivalry is a system of ethical ideals that arose from feudalism and had its highest development in the 12th and 13th centenry.(Columbia ElectronicEncyclopedia).Respect is an essential part of chivalry. The code of chivalry is a set of rules followed by the knights during the middle ages. The evolution of heroic and chivalry code has changed over time beginning from the Middle ages to now. The three stories Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Lanval and Beowulf illustrate what it takes to be considered a chivalrous knight.
Closely associated to the romance tradition are two idealized standards of behavior, especially for knights: courage and chivalry. The protagonist within many medieval romances proved their worth by going on quests, as many a knights went in those times, thus returning with great tales of their travels and deeds. Many modern people think of chivalry as referring to a man's gallant treatment of women, and although that sense is derived from the medieval chivalric ideal, chivalry could be seen as more than that. Knights were expected to be brave, loyal, and honorable-sent to protect the weak, be noble to...
Chivalry dealt with loyalty honor, and service to women on and off the battle field’ (“The Medieval Period: 1066-1485” 76). The Knight in The Canterbury Tales is the perfect example of someone who follows the code of chivalry. Chaucer describes him with much admiration as “a most distinguishable man, who from the day on which he first began to ride abroad had followed chivalry, truth, honor generousness and courtesy” (Chaucer, "The Prologue." 117). While Chaucer praises the knight for ... ... middle of paper ... ...
When I think of a hero I immediately think of someone who is strong, intelligent, handsome, and daring. Upon closer examination, many different qualities than these become apparent. Courage, honesty, bravery, selflessness, and the will to try are just a few of the overlooked qualities of a hero. The definition of heroism changes with the context and time. Heroes of the past are not necessarily heroes of present time and vise versa.